Antique Gurney & Ware Scale

Antique Gurney & Ware Scale

Well, another great find at Barrie Antiques Centre, Innisfil Street. Lorine and I spotted a balance scale with the original decorations and painting, plus the original brass pan and ceramic plate with "Gurney's & Ware, Hamilton" on it. The plate had split down the middle but considering the age of the scale that's not unexpected.

The scale had been assembled incorrectly, I guess by the dealer who had it for sale, but I knew I could fix that at home. Someone at one time had added lead shotgun pellets and old nuts in the well where you unscrew the brass plate (for weight) but you don't see that anyway.

Charles and Edward Gurney arrived in Hamilton, Ontario from Utica New York, in 1842 and became 2 of 3 partners in the Gurney and Carpenter Iron Foundry. Elijah Ware and Edwin Dalley started a commercial scale company in 1856 and in 1885 Dalley sold his share to the Gurney brothers. The company was renamed the Gurney Scale Company (G.S.C.)


...Read more about these early Hamilton industrial establishments